Players on easy street as Carnoustie changes its ways

It takes real talent to make people feel sorry for the R&A but, as the world's best players descended on Carnoustie yesterday for this week's Open, the South African David Frost made a strong argument that, no matter what the tournament organisers do, they cannot win. "It is quite easy," said Frost after playing a practice round on the course that caused so much trouble when the tournamernt was staged here in 1999. "Perhaps it is too easy."

Easy is not a word heard often in the same sentence as Carnoustie and, if the wind blows at all this week the gentlemen of the Royal & Ancient may have the satisfaction of seeing Frost look silly. In the meantime they can take comfort from the fact that the majority of those who played the course yesterday were impressed. Eight years ago the descriptions of choice for the course set-up were "ridiculous", "evil" and "a joke". This time round the players described it as "terrific", " fair" and "a thinking man's links".

Tom Lehman, winner of the 1996 Open, was emphatic in his praise. "Two words," he said. "It's perfect." Tiger Woods, who is looking to win his third successive Open Championship, was equally impressed after playing his now traditional Sunday practice round. "It's playing great, I like it and it's fair," said the world No1.

Even more effusive in his praise was Sandy Lyle, one of the most vociferous critics of the set-up in 1999 when the unheralded Paul Lawrie won with a score of six over par. The organisers had got things right this time round, he said, not least on the 6th hole, which in parts was only 12 yards wide eight years ago but has been widened. The rough, virtually unplayable last time, is thick in parts but not silly. Only those players who miss the fairway by a wide margin will find themselves in deep trouble.

"I would have been very disappointed if they didn't get it right this time after the criticism they got the last time. I know people say golfers are a bunch of moaners but really the last time was ridiculous," Lyle said. "It seems to me they have got the course right. Even if it gets windy out there, the course will be fair."

It was scarcely any wonder that Peter Dawson, the R&A's chief executive and the man charged with ensuring the tournament runs smoothly, was walking around yesterday with a grin as wide as the Barry Burn that runs across Carnoustie's 17th and 18th fairways. He and his staff were widely praised for the way they set up the Royal Liverpool course for last year's Open and, barring an unforeseen cock-up over the next week, they could once again emerge from the event with their reputations enhanced.

"It is very gratifying to hear the players like the course," he said. "We are very conscious of what the players think and what they tell us. If they voice their concerns, then we do listen."